Chapter 2 - State Flag and Emblems

California Government Code — §§ 420-429.9

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Sections (45)

Amended by Stats. 1953, Ch. 1140. Note: The Bear Flag appears in Ch. 1140 on page 2639 in Vol. 2 of the 1953 Statutes publication.

The Bear Flag is the State Flag of California. As viewed with the hoist end of the flag to the left of the observer there appears in the upper left-hand corner of a white field a five-pointed red star with one point vertically upward and in the middle of the white field a brown grizzly bear walking toward the left with all four paws on a green grass plot, with head and eye turned slightly toward the observer; a red stripe forms the length of the flag at the bottom, and between the grass plot and the red stripe appear the words CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC.

Dimensions, excluding heading

and unfinished flag ends:  The hoist or flag width is two-thirds of the fly or flag length; the red stripe width is one-sixth of the hoist width. The state official flag hoist widths shall be two, three, four, five, six and eight feet. The diameter of an imaginary circle passing through the points of the star is one-tenth of the fly length; the distance of the star center from the hoist end is one-sixth of the fly length and the distance from the star center to the top of the flag is four-fifths of the star-center distance from the hoist end. The length of the bear diagonally from the nose tip to the rear of right hind paw is two-thirds of the hoist width; the height of the bear from shoulder tip vertically to a line touching the bottoms of the front paws is one-half the length of the bear; the location of the bear in the white field is such that the center of the eye is midway between the top and bottom of the white field and the midpoint of the bear’s length is midway between the fly

ends. The grass plot in length is eleven-twelfths of the hoist width and the plot ends are equidistant from the fly ends; the average width of the plot between the rear of the left front paw and the front of the right rear paw is one-tenth of the grass plot length. The height of the condensed gothic letters, as shown on the representation, is one-half of the red stripe width and they occupy a lineal space of two-thirds of the fly length with the beginning and ending letters of the words equidistant from the fly ends.

Colors:  The following color references are those of the Textile Color Card Association of the United States, Inc., New York; the colors on the flag are to be substantially the same as these color references.  White—of the white field, front of bear’s eye, and on the bear’s claws is White, cable number 70001.  Red—of the red stripe, the star, and the bear’s tongue is Old Glory, cable

number 70180.  Green—of the grass plot is Irish Green, cable number 70168.  Brown—of the bear is Maple Sugar, cable number 70129.  Dark brown—of the bear outline, paws, shading, fur undulations, iris of the eye, the 12 grass tufts in the grass plot, and the letters is Seal, cable number 70108.

The general design and the details of the Bear Flag, excluding colors, shall correspond substantially with the following representation:

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NOTICE OF INCOMPLETE TEXT: The Bear Flagappears in the hard-copy publication of the chaptered bill.See Chapter 1140, page 2639, Statutes of 1953.

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This shall be the official State Flag of all state, county, city and town agencies. The flags now issued or in use shall continue in service until replacement is required.

Added by Stats. 1963, Ch. 1237.

“Eureka” is the official State Motto.

Added by Stats. 1968, Ch. 66.

“The Golden State” is the official State Nickname.

Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 86, Sec. 147.5. (SB 1171) Effective January 1, 2017.

The golden poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is the official State Flower. April 6 of each year is hereby designated California Poppy Day.

Added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1645, Sec. 2.

(a)West Coast Swing Dance is the official state dance.
(b)The Square Dance is the official state folk dance.

Added by renumbering Section 421.5 (as added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1198) by Stats. 1989, Ch. 1360, Sec. 47.

“I Love You, California,” a song published in 1913 with lyrics by F. B. Silverwood and music by A. F. Frankenstein, is an official state song.

Amended by Stats. 1953, Ch. 1140.

The California redwood (Sequoia sempervirens, Sequoia gigantea) is the official state tree.

Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 49, Sec. 2. (AB 1067) Effective January 1, 2018.

The almond (Prunus dulcis, Prunus amygdalus), walnut, pistachio, and pecan are each the official state nut.

Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 591, Sec. 2. (AB 1776) Effective January 1, 2013.

(a)The California desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) is the official state reptile.
(b)The Pacific leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the official state marine reptile.

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 482, Sec. 2. (SB 765) Effective January 1, 2026.

The giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas) is the official state snake.

Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 77, Sec. 2. (AB 2364) Effective January 1, 2015.

The California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) is the official state amphibian.

Enacted by Stats. 1943, Ch. 134.

The California valley quail (Lophortyx californica) is the official bird and avifaunal emblem of the State.

Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 113, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2004.

“The Californian” is the official state tall ship.

Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 873, Sec. 2. (AB 501) Effective January 1, 2017.

Denim is the official state fabric.

Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 573, Sec. 76. (SB 800) Effective January 1, 2018.

The official colors of the State are blue and gold. The specifications, references, and designations for the official colors are as follows:

Specifications: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Research Paper RP 1700.

International Commission on Illumination:

Blue: Y 0.063 x 0.204 y 0.165

Gold: Y 0.449 x 0.474 y 0.458

Munsell Renotation:

Blue: H V/C 7.3 PB 2.9/8.8

Gold: H V/C 2.0 Y 7.1/11.3

Munsell Book Notation:

Blue: H V/C 7.2 PB 2.9/9.1

Gold: H V/C 1 Y 7.3/11

References: Textile Color Card Association of New York, Inc.

Blue: Yale Blue, cable number 70086, Standard Color Card of America, 9th edition.

Gold: Golden Yellow, cable number 65001, United States Army Card of Official Colors for Arms and Services.

Designations: Inter-Society Color Council-National Bureau of Standards:

Yale Blue: Deep purplish blue.

Golden Yellow: Vivid yellow.

Added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 100, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2002.

(a)The tartan defined in subdivision (b) is the official State Tartan, and may be claimed by any resident of the state.
(b)The official State Tartan is generally described as a pattern or sett consisting of alternate squares of meadow green and pacific blue that are separated and surrounded by narrow charcoal bands. The squares of meadow green are divided by a gold seam that is supported by charcoal lines on each side. There are three redwood stripes, the middle of which is

broader, that are added to each side of the gold seam. The pacific blue square is divided by a sky blue stripe, which is supported on each side by charcoal lines.

The tartan is specifically defined by the following weave code:

Y..B..G..S..G...S..G..S..G..B..A..B..K...  Ancient Colors

8...2..20..4..20..8..20..4..20..32..56..2...8...  Full Pivots

This weave code means that the threads begin with 8 threads of yellow, followed by 2 threads of black, 20 threads of green, 4 threads of scarlet, 20 threads of green, 8 threads of scarlet, 20 threads of green, 4 threads of scarlet, 20 threads of green, 32 threads of black, 56 threads of azure, 2 threads of black, and 8 threads of sky blue. At that point the weave pivots and returns, beginning with 2 threads of black, and continuing the sequence in

reverse order through 8 threads of yellow, at which point it pivots back again.

Added by Stats. 1972, Ch. 521.

The California dog-face butterfly (Zerene eurydice) is the official State Insect.

Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 113, Sec. 2. (AB 1528) Effective January 1, 2016.

Lace lichen (Ramalina menziesii) is the official state lichen.

Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 162, Sec. 2. (AB 1782) Effective January 1, 2019.

Surfing is the official state sport.

Added by Stats. 1953, Ch. 1140. Note: The California Grizzly Bear appears in Ch. 1140 on page 2639 in Vol. 2 of the 1953 Statutes publication.

The state animal is the California Grizzly Bear (Ursus Californicus) as depicted in outline, details, and in colors on the official representation in the custody of the Secretary of State. The color references of the bear shall be in accordance with those set forth in Section 420.

All state representations of the state animal in details and in colors shall be in accordance with this section and shall correspond substantially with the following representation thereof:

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NOTICE OF INCOMPLETE TEXT: The California Grizzly Bearappears in the hard-copy publication of the chaptered bill.See Chapter 1140, page 2639, Statutes of 1953.

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